Life sentence upheld for counterfeit opioid doctor

A federal court in the US has rejected an appeal by a former orthopaedic surgeon, who was sentenced to life in prison in connection with the death of a woman from an opioid overdose.

Johnny Clyde Benjamin Jr. was convicted of charges related to the production and distribution of counterfeit opioids following the death of Margaret “Maggie” Crowley in 2016 after taking counterfeit oxycodone tablets laced with fentanyl.

The appeals court ruled that Benjamin’s counsel failed to prove any error in his trial, so “his argument that all of his claimed errors, when taken together, compel reversal necessarily fails.”

Benjamin’s license to practice medicine was revoked by the Florida Board of Medicine in 2018. He formerly practised at Pro Spine Center in Vero Beach, Florida.